Wainwright soldier remembered as dedicated brother, friend at funeral

EDMONTON – Family, friends and Armed Forces members filled the pews of an Edmonton funeral home on Sunday as one of the soldiers killed in the devastating Canadian Forces Base Wainwright fire was laid to rest.

All rose as Sgt. Morgan Wong’s casket was carried in by pallbearers, draped in a Canadian flag that was then carefully folded and presented to one of Wong’s loved ones.

In a eulogy, Wong’s sister Megan remembered her brother as a loyal friend and problem-solver who dedicated himself to serving his community and country.

“Long before he was the fearless soldier many of you came to know, he was one of the bravest and funniest people I have ever met,” she said.

The 26-year-old reservist with the Loyal Edmonton Regiment, serving with the 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, was one of four killed when a fast-moving fire overwhelmed soldiers during a training exercise at CFB Wainwright. Thirty-nine more were injured.

Buddhist practitioners sang and prayed for Wong, whose photo sat on an altar alongside bowls of white rice and plates of oranges and apples.

Those gathered at the funeral heard how the soldier joined the Armed Forces at 17, advanced through the military ranks and volunteered in 2024 to be deployed to Latvia.

There, he would ultimately meet his wife.

“They were married last December,” Wong’s sister said. “He was so excited to (build) an incredible life and family with her.”

After Wong returned from Latvia, he trained and mentored new recruits and was preparing for a second deployment abroad when he was killed in the fire at Wainwright.

Lt.-Col. Bryn Wright, the commanding officer of Wong’s regiment, said Wong quit a civilian job earlier this year to be an instructor for the Armed Forces.

“Dedicated to service, reliable, willing to put the regiment ahead of himself. That was Morgan Wong,” he said.

Wright said the soldier’s cap badge and regimental coin, sometimes called a challenge coin, will be returned to his family.

“Soldiers often challenge one another by producing their coin, and if the other soldier doesn’t have theirs, they lose. If they do, they win. Morgan carried his coin with him right to the end. In classic fashion, it was still in his pocket,” Wright said.

Megan said she was proud to be Wong’s big sister and that she hopes his life serves as a reminder “to use the time we have to achieve a life we would be proud of.”

Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack said after the service that Wong had an impact on the city.

“(We) heard from so many of the people who had stories to share today that it’s not just his military service, it was his service to family, to loved ones, to friends, to community, that this is somebody who, no matter who you are, he was there to support you,” Knack said in an interview outside the funeral home, located in the city’s north end.

“It’s impossible to replace someone like that, who’s given so much. And yet I hope that we all take this opportunity as Edmontonians and as Canadians to live up to that legacy.”

While the exact cause of the fire at CFB Wainwright is unclear, Brig.-Gen. Vanessa Hanrahan, head of the military police, said it was sparked during a routine training event at an anti-grenade launcher range on the grounds.

The fire was considered sufficiently under control that training exercises were allowed to continue, before high winds caused it to spread, said Maj.-Gen. Wade Rutland, commander of 1st Canadian Division.

Military officials wouldn’t say why training continued during the fire. Hanrahan said it’s part of the military police investigation.

The City of Prince Albert said a vigil would be held Sunday afternoon in Memorial Square for Pte. Shaun Farrell, another soldier who died in the tragedy at Wainwright.

Police in the northern Saskatchewan city posted a video Saturday showing a procession of police and other emergency vehicles accompanying a hearse into the city, passing underneath a Maple Leaf flag that was hanging from the extended ladder of a fire truck.

“Today, Prince Albert showed up with love, compassion, and respect as we welcomed Private Shaun Farrell home,” a message with the post said.

“Behind every uniform is a person, a family, and a story. And today, we were reminded that when one of our own comes home, they do not come home alone.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 25, 2026.

–By Kathryn Mannie in Toronto, with files from Fakiha Baig in Edmonton